Atlantic Canada Launches Longest Cruise Season Ever
Canada’s easternmost provinces are becoming hot destinations for cruise passengers, and if the 2025 season stays on track, the region will break records by its end.
Atlantic Canada, which includes Newfoundland, Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, has long been sought after for its colorful fall foliage. But lately, cruise ships arriving outside of fall have been growing year over year.
In 2025, Atlantic Canada’s season will be its longest ever, launching on March 10 with Ponant’s Le Commandant Charcot arriving for its inaugural winter cruise and extending deep into November, with AIDA Cruises’ AIDAdiva visiting on the 19th.
“Atlantic Canada is positioned for another strong and promising cruise season in 2025, with our ports showcasing the best of the region and offering visitors warm and welcoming experiences,” said the Atlanta Canada Cruise Association (ACCA).
“Cruise ships will be visiting Atlantic Canadian ports from March through late November, marking our longest season to date and highlighting the continued interest by cruise guests from around the world to visit with us,” the ACCA added.
Throughout the region, an anticipated 736,500 cruise passengers will descend upon the shores nestled along the Atlantic Ocean, the majority of which will pass through Nova Scotia.
Halifax, its capital, will welcome its first ship, Viking Cruises’ Viking Polaris, on April 4, 2025, and will end with AIDAdiva’s November arrival.
In between, the port will welcome 186 additional calls, bringing in nearly 328,000 guests.
Meanwhile, Syndey, Nova Scotia, located on Cape Breton Island, will see 110 cruise calls and 230,000 passengers, beginning with the May 18th arrival of Holland America Line’s Zuiderdam and concluding with Oceania Cruises’ Allura on November 3.
Prince Edward Island’s capital, Charlottetown, and New Brunswick’s Saint John will be neck-in-neck this season, with 79 and 78 ships arriving, respectively.
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Canada’s oldest incorporated city, Saint John’s 180,000 passengers will take the port over the 3.5 million mark since it became a featured cruise destination in 1989.
Meanwhile, Charlottetown is expected to receive 129,500 cruise guests during a season that includes seven inaugural calls, including Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Silhouette, Princess Cruises’ Majestic Princess, and Regent Seven Seas’ Seven Seas Splendor.
Each ship will be visiting Atlantic Canada for the first time, along with Silversea Cruises’ Silver Dawn, Oceania Cruises’ Allura, Virgin Voyages’ brand-new Brilliant Lady, and the aforementioned Le Commandant Charcot from French cruise line Ponant.
Arriving in Corner Brook, Newfoundland, the vessel is the first of 23 expected to visit in 2025, welcoming more than 31,000 passengers throughout the season.
“The introduction of new ships calling on the region shows the attractiveness of Atlantic Canada as a cruise destination and reinforces the long-term resilience of the industry,” said ACCA.
Canada Rising
Atlantic Canada’s growth follows a highly successful 2024, which brought more than 675 cruise ships and over 1 million passengers to the area, setting records.
That season began in April and represented 30 percent growth over 2023 in both the number of calls and the number of guests.
Returning to the region in 2025 are some of the biggest names in the industry, including Norwegian Cruise Line, which is bringing 10 ships – Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Escape, Norwegian Gem, Norwegian Getaway, Norwegian Jewel, Norwegian Pearl, Norwegian Prima, Norwegian Sky, Norwegian Star, and Norwegian Sun.
On Canada’s western shores, Vancouver, British Colombia, remains the nation’s busiest cruise port, receiving 1.32 passengers across 327 ships in 2024.
Its neighboring Victoria, found on Vancouver Island, was a close second, welcoming 316 ships and nearly 970,000 passengers in 2024.